Sand-cutting machine



Sept. 4, 1923.

H. L. WADSWORTH SAND CUTTING MACHINE '1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 15.

/, 2/ EZ EHZ INVENTOR. flan arc/ Z h ac/sn arfi B Afigm Sept. 4, 1923.

H. WADSWORTH SAND CUTTING MACHINE Filed March 15, 1922 2 sham-sheet 2 W? is? INVENTOR.

y /an azz/ A, h ac/swar'fii" #7 4 mw w ATTORN Y5 Patented Sept. d, 123..

HOWE L. WADSWOBTH, 0F CLEVELAND, QHIO.

. :-cu'r'rrne naonrnn.

Application filed March 15, 1922. Serial No. 544,062.

useful Improvement in Sand-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that princ ple,

so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improvements, relating, as indicated, to sand cutting machines, are more particularly directed to an improved machine for cutting, mixing and aeratin the mold sand used in foundries. One 0 the principal objects of the invention is the'provision of such a machine which will rapidly and efiectively cut and aerate the sand and which is adapted to the severe service iven it in most foundries, is the provision of a machine that may be easily controlled from a single point by an operator. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constitutin however, but one of various mechanical orms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Fig. '1 is a rear elevation of my improved machine showing a cutting cylinder; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the transmission mechanism; and Fig. i is a section on the line H in Fig. 3.

My machine includes a rectangularframe' work consisting of side frame members 1 and 1 connected by transverse frame members 2 and 2' and vertical upright members.

3. This framework is supported upon two large traction wheels 4 and two castor wheels 5, the latter being mounted to turn freely in order that they may. follow the tractor wheels which are used to steer the machine, as will be explained hereinafter.

Mounted in. the frame and disposed between the traction wheels 4 is a cutting cylinder 6. This cutting cylinder is made up of an open framework consisting of a central shaft or support 8, on'which are carried two while a further 0 ject,

or more spiders 9. The arms of these spiders are in alignment and carry rods 10. Mounted about these rods 10 are two opposed spiral sand cutting plates 11 and 11', which extend in opposite directions and which meet at the center of the machine. These plates extend radially outward and are so constructed and mounted that when rotated about the central axis of the cylinder they will move sand in toward its center. The two spiral-plates act as opposed conveyors and move the sand along the round in toward the center of the cylin er where the two streams meet and are then moved outwardly behind and away from the'machine. The cutting cylinder is operated by means of a chain 13 engaging over av sprocket 14 on the end of the central shaft 8. This chain is then driven by means of a sprocket ld operated -by an electric motor 17.

The two spiral plates on the cutting cylinder act to throw or kick up the sand being out to a certain extent, and at high speed the sand is thrown upwardly and rearwardly" from the center of the cutting cylinder several feet, and this action of the cuttin cylinder may be utilized to pile the san against the wall in cases where it is neces? sary. In order, however, to save the power necessary to operate this cylinder at a piling speed, I employ a series of kicking or throwing blades 20 which are mounted longitudinally of the cylinder between adjacent convolutions of the spiral plates 11 and 11'. A series of such throwing plates may be used and I have found that four for each convolution of the spiral plate is a suflicient number, these being disposed at equidistant intervals of 90 degrees around the cylinder. Each throwing plate is narrowed down at the point 21 where it engages against the operating face of the plate 11.

7 It is the inner faces of these plates 11 and 11 which operate against the sand to convey it toward the center of the cylinder, and as this movement of the sand is along the ground the blades 20 are cut away in order not to interfere too much with the inward movement of the material. The acaction on the sand is to change the form of pile which is left by the machine from a cone-shaped pile (in transverse section) to a rounded windrow and it greatly relieves the strain on the machine and avoids the necessity of operating the machine at excessively high speeds for piling sand.

The cutting cylinder and motor are carried on a small framework 25 which is movable vertically in certain of the angle iron frame members 3, and is connected to weights 26 by means of cables or chains 27 and 28 which pass over pulleys 29, 30 and 31. The pulley 31 is mounted on the transverse shaft 32, and the raising or lowering of the cutting cylinder is controlled by means of a hand wheel 33, which is engaged by means of gears (not shown) with this shaft 32. The guides on which the cutting cylinder and motor are mounted are of considerable width, and to prevent tilting of the framework in the guides 3 one of the chains 27 is connected to the front side of the framework carrying the motor and the cylinder, and the other chain 28 to the rear side so that an even pull on the framework is secured when it is desired to raise the cutting cylinder, and prevents the tilting and binding of the framework in the guides.

The machine is operated over the ground by a second motor 40 which drives through a transmission mechanism 41 and transverse shafts 42, which carry on their ends gears 43 which are in engagement with an internal gear 44 in each wheel. The transmission mechanism is shown in Fig. 3. It is enclosed in a case 50. A drive shaft 51 enters the transmission case from the motor 40 and drives a second shaft 52 through gears 53, 54, 55 and 56. The second shaft 52 carries a bevel gear 57 which drives opposed bevel gears 58 and 58 in opposite directions. Either of the gears 58 or 58' may be connected to drive a shaft 80 through a double clutch 81,- which may be moved in two directions to engage clutch member 82 or 82'. The bevel gears 58 and 58 turn in opposite directions so that either a. forward or re verse drive may be given the shaft 80. The shaft 80 at each end 42 through shock absorbing spring devices 60 of familiar construction. The drive from this shock absorbing device is carried through clutches 61, one member of the clutch being formed as a part of the shock absorber, rotatably mountedon the shafts 4:2. The clutches are normally held in engagement by means of springs 90.

The two clutch members 61 may be engaged by means of shifting forks 63, both of which are operated by a single manually moved lever 64-, which is connected to a shifting rod 65. By movement of the lever 64. toward one side or the ot r f t e medrives the final shafts and the other member being non-- chine, first one and then the other of the clutches may be disengaged, while in the central or neutral position both clutches are in engagement. In this way the machine may be steered by disconnecting one of the clutches 61, when the machine will turn about the disconnected or undriven wheel as a pivot. This manner of steering is of great advantage in the present type of machine, since a sand cutting machine must be maneuvered very closely in many foundries because of the lack of space between the windrows of sand, and because of the various equipment which are scattered around the floor.

The spring shock absorbing devices are shown in Fig. 4. Each consists of a sleeve 100 which is non-rotatably mounted on the end of the shaft 80 and is provided with an extending portion 101 which drives against a series of leaf springs 102. These springs are in turn secured in a frame 103, which carries one member of the clutch 61. Upon rotation of the member 100 first distorted, and upon the rotation of the part 103they resume approximately their normal position, in this way absorbing'the initial shock when the machine is thrown into operation.

The castor wheels5 are pivotally mounted in tubular members 70, which are carried on the ends of an equalizing bar 71 pivoted to one of the transverse frame members at the point 72. The use of these pivoted castor wheels in connection with the steering wheels is of decided advantage in such a machine, which has to pass over a very uneven dirt floor in most foundries. Unless the traction wheels are also used for steering, the other undriven wheels must be so used, and if so these latter cannot be equalized in this way or in any way which allows them to adapt themselves to the great irregularities of the floor, except by adding a considerable amount of complicated mechanism. On the other hand these castor wheels can be perfectly equalized and the machine adapted to any irregularities in the floor and the trac tion wheels can also be used for steering.

All of the controls on the present machine, such as levers for controlling the forward or reverse drive through the. transmission or the steering by disconnecting one or the other of the traction wheels, as well as the means for raising and lowering the cutting cylinder and operating the motors, may be conveniently grouped together on the rear upper crosspart of the machine adjacent to the operators seat 105. The operator can look through the frame to see the operation of the cutting cylinder and can readily adjust the height of the cuttin cylinder to adapt it to the work which is icing done. For these reasons the present ma; chine is extremely convenient and easy to operate, while the construction of the frame the springs are and the means provided for steering adapt the machine to the closeiquarters and the irregular floors to be found in foundries.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as re gards the mechanism herein disclosed, pro- "vided the means stated by any of the foleluding unitary mechanism for selectively disconnecting either of said wheels from said driving means while maintaining said engagement of said other wheel, to make adjustment of the angle of the cutting axis of said sand cutting cylinder through the sand pile.

2. A sand cutting cylinder comprising an open cylindrical frame, two spiral cutting plates mounted about said cylinder in opposed relation and said plates extending radially outwardly, and 'two series of sandthrowing blades mounted longitudinallyv of said cylinder, each series being interposed respectively between the adjacent. convolutions of said respective spiral cutting plates.

3. In mechanism of the character dscribed, the combination of a frame, wheels supporting the same, spaced vertical guides mounted in said frame, a sub-frame movably mounted in said guides, a cutting cylinder on said sub-frame, a motor connected to operate the same. also on said sub-frame, and means adapted to maintain said subframe, motor and cylinder at adesired ele-, vation.

4. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a frame, wheels supporting the same, spaced vertical guides mounted in said frame, a sub-frame movably mounted in said guides, a cutting cylinder on said sub-frame, a motor connected to operate the same also on said sub-frame, and counterweight means adapted to maintain said sub-frame, motor and cylinder at a desired elevation.

5. In mechanism of the character described, the combination of a frame, wheels supporting the same, spaced vertical guides mounted in said frame, a sub-frame movably mounted in said guides, a cutting cylinder on said sub-frame, a motor connected to operate the same also on said sub-frame, counterweight means connected to said subframe, and manually operable means adapted to raise and lower said sub-frame.

Signed by me, this 14th day of March, 1922.

HOWARD L. WAD'SWORTH. 

